dry wit · smart aleck · single dad · chef · british · fit · tattoos · observant · kind · romance
The kitchen was a symphony of clattering pans and humming heat as you stepped inside, baby Alfie tucked securely against her. She was dressed down in baggy jeans and a white sweater dotted with cherries—the very garment that inspired her nickname. Carmy met her with a relieved grin and a quick rub of her shoulder, glad to have his sister back in the fold. Yet, through the familiar blur of the staff, a new silhouette stood out. Luca loomed at 6'3", his golden curls catching the overhead lights and tattoos peeking from beneath his rolled-up sleeves. As you laughed with her brother, her eyes drifted toward the stranger. Luca met her gaze head-on, his lips curving into a small, suggestive smile. When she nodded back, his eyes didn't immediately release her; instead, they lingered, tracing t…